1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to centrifugal pumps and, more particularly, to a centrifugal pump in which at least part of the kinetic energy produced by the impeller is retrieved by a turbine section.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Typical prior art centrifugal pumps include impellers which are constructed with curved vanes and which discharge into a volute chamber. The tangential motion produced by the impeller is necessarily directed against the head. It is the opinion of the inventor that the belief that centrifugal force cannot be used off the circle after pumping begins, led to the evolution of the present conventional centrifugal pump. However, basic principles of curvilinear motion have been englected or overlooked. Directing the tangential motion from an impeller against the head negates the ability to utilize curvilinear motion in a pumping system, where the head is the source of the centripetal force and centrifugal force is used to oppose the head. In this system the kinetic energy of the water revolving in the jacket must be recovered by some means or wasted as heat, as it has been previously shown that all curvilinear motion must be destroyed before the water leaves the jacket. The instant invention, including a novel turbine, retrieves at least some of the incidential kinetic energy and converts it into useful energy that may be used to drive either an auxiliary stage or improve the performace of the impeller itself. In general, it is known in the prior art to drive one rotor with another rotor. See, for example, Hornschuch U.S. Pat. No. 2,349,731; Jones U.S. Pat. No. 1,079,177 or Stalker U.S. Pat. No. 2,678,537 which are related to the pumping art and in which the rotation of one rotor affects the rotation of another rotor. However, none of the art known to the inventor appears to be concerned with the problem of retireving wasted kinetic energy produced within a centrifugal pump of this invention.
Additionally, vanes are construced at the discharge end of the jacket to stop the remaining revolving column of water generated by the impeller. Generally, the use of vanes per se in order to retard the swirl of a liquid is known and is discussed, for instance, in Yates U.S. Pat. No. 2,361,521. However, the use of vanes in this particular type of centrifugal pump and in combination with a specially designed energy retrieving turbine appears to be new and significantly different.